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Health Wealth for Millennials

Early Millennials are now about to enter the first age of the “I never had this before.” The looming 40s is when natural youth begins to fade and the “you got to work for it” begins. Being aware of health pitfalls will help us formulate intentions for remaining vibrant, healthy, and productive.

Here’s a list of the top Millennial health concerns:

1. Ineffective Antibiotics: Although antibiotics, for years and years, was the stuff that cured so many infections, in this day and age antibiotics are losing their efficacy because, as human beings, we’re building a tolerance for them. Hand sanitizer is also being overused creating a new strain of super germs.

2. Binge Drinking: Binge drinking is any drinking session in which five or more drinks are consumed in two hours or less. Not exactly your liver’s dream situation.

3. Being Single: Being in relationships make for healthier people than those who are single. In fact, being single is, apparently, just as dangerous as smoking or obesity. Unless of course you are in a bad relationship…more alter on this.

4. Mental Health: According to stats about 7% of those between 20 and 29 have suffered from depression in the past year, and 9% of those in the same age bracket suffer from anxiety and panic disorders, and major depression on a regular basis. Roughly 28% of Millennials are medicated for one thing or another and 23% of that group on are on antidepressants. Chill…rest, meditate.

5. Bad Relationships: Who hasn’t found themselves in a bad relationship then lingered in it, although you knew you needed to leave, far longer than you should? Well, because it is actually a pretty common mistake, poor health as a result of bad relationships is a definitely a common health concern for Millennials, with 13% of them staying in those bad relationships, and needing to be medicated for it.

6. Preclinical Disease: A “preclinical disease” is, by definition, the “diagnosis of a disease in the absence of any symptoms.” Basically, what this means is that diseases continue to evolve faster than cures for them can be found. Gulp.

7. Obesity: Obesity affects one-third of Millennials, with 58% of them admitting to eating junk food and drinking soda frequently. The obesity rate in Millennials is higher than the rate in their parents’ generation. Maybe it is also a sense of entitlement, that we can have anything whenever we want it with no consequence.

8. Sexually Transmitted Disease: Despite the vaccine, 45% of women between 20 and 24 have tested positive for HPV, 25% of teens will contract an STI every year, and 50% of sexually active Millennials will get an STI or STD before they’re 25.

9. Inactivity: In a world where electronics rule our lives, all that time in front of the computer, iPhone, and other devices prevent us from being truly active. The social isolation can also lead to depression and even suicide. Get out there and make friends…

10. STRESS: Along with Generation X, Millennials are tied with being the “most stressed generation." The mantra of stopping to smell the roses is not well received by Millennials and sometimes only happens after a tragedy or serious incident.

So the takeaway from all this: slow down, be aware of your behavior, allow your spirit to live in a healthy body, be proactive, be kind to yourself.